Juno Revisited

The first time I saw Juno, I absolutely loved it. It has great music, great dialogue, and great characters. I was so caught up in the humor and music that I didn't even really think about the movie's message. I went to Winona, last Spring for the Rock Against Violence Concert put on by FORGE (Fighting for Our Rights and Gender Equality) and NSFC (Nursing Students for Choice). Before the concert started I went to Target with a friend of mine. Juno had just come out on DVD and I naturally bought it and watched it again. Again, too much in my own head to think about the message of the movie. I asked my friend, "Didn't you just love it?" to which she replied, "not really, I enjoyed the music and the humor, but the movie portrayed abortion clinics in the completely wrong light." This comment really made me think. It's not true that when you walk into an abortion clinic there is a girl sitting there chewing gum asking if you want a free condom. There are counselors there to help make the right decision for you, and in no way try to persuade you to abort the fetus, if you don't want to.



Now because some anti-choicers saw the movie, and the fact that Juno choose to have the baby and give it up for adoption makes the movie pro-life? Um....no! She had a choice, that is what pro-choice means. She made have made the choice that anti-choicers wanted her to make, but the movie made a swift move by her step-mother asking her if she had thought about "the alternative" (abortion) Which shows that her parents would have been just as supportive if she has chosen to abort the baby, but that would not have made for that interesting of a movie. The other thing that gets me is that "pro-lifers" didn't seem to upset by the fact that teenagers were having sex at 16. A major issue in the U.S., but apparently not as big of an issue as abortion. Abortion is a necessary choice until the government understands that they have to set up programs to help single mothers or single fathers. Also, there's the whole issue of abstinence-only sex education. Denying the fact that there are many teenagers out there are having sex.

I still stand by the fact that I love Juno. Not only because of the music and the witty humor, but because it tells a tale of choice. Being pro-choice does not mean that you are pro-death. Likewise, being pro-choice does not mean pro-abortion. It means choice, and not limiting choices to women.

I recommend seeing Juno again (or for the first time) it will make you laugh and cry.